Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano is very good with very big numbers.

In 2011, when he was head coach at Rutgers, his charity, the Schiano Family Foundation, pledged $250,000 to the Rutgers Future Scholars Program, an initiative created to help youth from low-income communities successfully get through high school and college.

Schiano, we found out this week, is also very good with very bad numbers.

Sounding very much like the Ivy League graduate that he is (Bucknell, OK, close enough), Schiano didn't need a pie chart to spell out what went wrong for his defense in the season-opening 77-31 trouncing of Oregon State.

"Eighty-two percent of the offense came on seven plays, 82 percent of their production," Schiano said. "We can't allow that. Have to go back a long time to remember two long runs like that, not only here but anywhere. It's unacceptable."

Schiano was referring to 80- and 78-yard touchdown runs by Artavis Pierce on consecutive series in the third quarter after Oregon State had already hit a home run on a 49-yard touchdown by catch by Trevon Bradford, with most of those yards coming after the catch.

Bradford also beat safety Isaiah Pryor in the corner for a 17-yard score after that drive was kept alive when corner Kendall Sheffield lost a jump ball with Isaiah Hodgins on a 27-yard gain. There's been more emphasis on takeaways, but the Buckeyes failed to come up with an interception.

Worse than expected early on

Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano congratulates his defense during the second quarter of the Buckeyes' season opener against Oregon State.(Photo: Joe Maiorana/USA TODAY Sports)

Apparently, it doesn't matter that the Beavers were the only FBS team not to beat an FBS opponent last season.

The Buckeyes got exposed in space. Maybe some of that was to be expected with a new starting linebacker crew and two first-time starters at safety. But when you start comparing the five-star and four-star recruits in each program, Ohio State is in a different galaxy.

There are going to be growing pains, especially when the only senior on the defensive two-deep is former starting linebacker Dante Booker, who has been plagued in his career by injuries.

But this wasn't supposed to happen.

"Going into the game we knew we were going to have a brand new (middle) linebacker (Baron Browning) and two brand new safeties (Pryor and Jahsen Wint)," Schiano said. "It's like starting a new catcher and a new shortstop and new pitcher in baseball, right up the middle."

OSU will lean on stars to right the ship

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OSU linebacker Pete Werner on defensive breakdowns and making jump from special teams to starter
Jon Spencer, Reporter

Getting things correctly quickly is imperative, not because Rutgers poses much of a threat in Saturday's Big Ten opener but because next week's first road trip is a prime-time showdown in Arlington, Texas, with a Texas Christian outfit that rang up 55 points in its opener.

Getting safety/captain Jordan Fuller back should help a lot. He was a game-time scratch in the opener because of hamstring issues. The defense should also tighten up when middle linebacker Tuf Borland is full strength. He has made a remarkably fast recovery from an Achilles injury in the spring, but was limited to 10 snaps off the bench against Oregon State.

Exempt from any criticism are end Nick Bosa and tackle Dre'Mont Jones. They lived up to the hype they've generated, racking up two sacks apiece without playing in the second half. Bosa also had two fumble recoveries, one in the end zone for a touchdown after a strip sack by linebacker Pete Werner.

Afterwards, Bosa deflected praise to Jones — "He's about to blow up" — and to Werner, calling him an "animal."

"There's definitely a lot of pressure," said Bosa, who could be the top overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, "but if I can just go out there and have fun and enjoy who you're doing it with, that's what really matters."

Werner, who has made a quick ascent from special teams star to sophomore starter, is quick to credit vets like Bosa and Jones for the strides he's made.

"I'm playing next to these great guys and learning game speed a little better," Werner said. "Last year, I'd go in later and see ... not much. Now that I'm seeing things at full speed, it gives me a great feel and great start to the season."

A sentimental matchup for Schiano

Nationally, Ohio State vs. Rutgers isn't going to bend the excitement needle, but it's a big week for Schiano because of his emotional ties to the opponent — 11 years as head coach of the Scarlet Knights, including five bowl victories — and the chess match that will unfold with Rutgers offensive coordinator John McNulty, who is back this year for a second stint at the school.

McNulty was Schiano's offensive coordinator at Rutgers and quarterbacks coach when Schiano was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Edit out seven plays from last week's tape and that's the defense Schiano hopes to throw at his former aide.